After a day at the beach, there was a huge storm. Everyone was scrambling through the rain to get back to their cars. Artie went to the trunk of our car and got our picnic and we sat under the pier and had a lovely meal together. It's so nice those times I am prepared. :-)

Bobbie, Artie's mother, was hilarious in the ocean. It was the first time she had been in the ocean in over 10 years, back before she had both knees replaced. Artie had to walk behind her and make sure the waves didn't knock her down. They both had me rolling....

At the beginning of the video you can see her falling a little, she just kept walking out further and further. It was so freeing for her to be in the water again. The sound is bad - it was so windy that day. As you can tell from Bobbie's death grip on her sun hat.

These are my grandmother Mildred's - otherwise known as Nanny (my mama's mama) - brothers and sisters. That is Uncle Neil on the far left, Aunt Betty in the USA shirt, Aunt Lois in the flowered shirt and Uncle Sherman on the far right. I am so blessed to have such a godly heritage. These are some of the most wonderful people I've ever known.

Most of my friends knew my Aunt Violet from when she lived in Spartanburg. This is the family she belonged with, one of my nanny's sisters. :-) She was the sweetest thing!! I miss her so.

Tami, are you still reading? How many brothers and sisters were there all together? Nine or more? List out all the names for me. :-)

I have been wanting to post the pictures from our family vacation to Charleston, but just haven't had the time. I am trying to catch up a little. Here are some fun pictures. We had such a good time. All of the children, except Brian, went as well Artie's mom. This was my mama's family reunion. Most of the family live in Va, but came to my cousin Vicki's house for the reunion. She has a beautiful home that has been featured on HGTV in What You Get for the Money.

It was so nice for me for Artie's mother to get to meet my family. She has never met most of my mama's family. I was proud to show them off!!!

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Our friends - Jack and Nikki gave Artie a wonderful surprise 40th birthday party. He had a couple of questions, but I think in the end he was surprised. Guess they were all surprised when we showed up 30 minutes late. Artie had decided it was his birthday and he wasn't going to rush!! :-)

Nikki got Artie a wonderful birthday hat to wear for the evening. :-)

There was lots of food - here's Artie with his big steak. Nikki asked what kind of cake he liked best - steak!!

Lots of friends from work came. Here is one of Artie's favorite people - Timmy.

They played lots of games. Here they are throwing darts in the garage.

Artie tried to catch up with the times and play the Wii.

Nikki wore Jack out on most of the games. :-) Jack and Artie always seem to end up like this....

Friday, October 24, 2008

This is such a quick and yummy dish. I make it in the crock pot - all of 5 minutes and then let it cook all day. It's one of Troy's favorite meals.

1 beef roast - I usually use what ever is on sale - the biggest I can find - today it's a London broil

2 cups water

1/2 cup soy sauce

1 t dried rosemary

1 t dried thyme

1 t garlic powder

1 bay leaf

3 or 4 whole peppercorns

(We usually double or triple the broth mix for our family)

French rolls - split for sandwiches

After it's cooked all day, shred meat with fork and serve on French rolls (top with cheese if you like). Pour broth in individual cups for dipping. We usually serve with chips to end out the easy meal part!! :-)

I think since I've stopped homeschooling, it's been hard for me to blog regularly. It seems like I would have so much more time, but now I don't seem to have near as much interesting to post. I'm going to work on turning this more from homeschooling to homemaking and see how that goes.

I've just this week started up my new fall breakfast. ~ HOT CHOCOLATE ~ I love it. I went to Goodwill and bought a special new hot chocolate mug for my mornings (a great .50 splurge). :-)

Our microwave died last week, so it's added a new element of heating water on the stove (I think I would rather get a kettle than a new microwave right now, I'm enjoying my stove.) My favorite is plain ol' hot chocolate with marshmallow cream on top. When the hot chocolate is good and hot it will melt the marshmallow cream to a frothy topping. It's so yummy, I have to hide it from the children or it will all be gone in one day. I guess we will have some special afternoon snacks of hot chocolate for them. :-)

It's been a little cooler here lately - today I don't think it's suppose to get much above 50 degrees today. We had a good warm homemade vegetable soup with crackers last night. It was mostly potatoes, corn, carrots and tomatoes with a few beans scattered in. If there are too many beans, they kids will protest. I just try and stick them in where I can. :-) There was enough left over for Artie and I both to have some for lunch today.

I've lost one of my favorite recipes - Baked Ziti - over the past month or so. I've looked online and can't find the exact one we used. I know most of the basic ingredients, but not any of the measurements of the spices. I am going to try and get my recipes posted on line so somethings like this doesn't happen to me again. Tonight we are going to have French Dip - recipe to follow...

We're going to the premier tonight!!! Whoo Hoo :-) Anyone else going? This will be Emily's first big movie at the theater (she's seen some daytime summer specials like Veggie Tales - but not night time movie with just the girls). She loved the first two on TV.

My first big movie I remember seeing with my mama and some friends was Rocky. She was so worried because she had been told about them cutting his eye in the ring. If she saw what was on television now and how the TV show cameras are always diving into dead bodies!!!

(BTW - I let the children watch Rocky 1 over the summer and couldn't believe the language it in!!!) Anyway, hopefully HM will be a little more child friendly than Rocky was.

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Bobby (front - missing both front teeth!!) and Stephen (back right) with Mr. Ed - one of their Scout leaders. They are enjoying scouting. This week they learned about fire safety with a tour through a smoke house.

As I have mentioned before, we are always looking for good family TV we can all watch together. This weekend the children loved Family Affair. Remember Buffy and Jodi? I loved my Mrs. Beasley doll when I was young!!! :-)

We watched the very first episodes where Uncle Bill gets Buffy, then Jodi, and then finally Sissy. Everyone loved it. They can't wait for the next episodes to come in the mail.

We also watched the very first episode of the Andy Griffith show. It was so cute. Opie is little and meets Aunt Bee for the first time (and doesn't really like her to begin with). Without having cable, the Andy show is kinda new to our little children, while the bigger kids enjoy seeing it again as well.

Saturday, October 18, 2008

"Well, of course that was all nonsense! She wasn't going back on the principles her mother had taught her. She was going to go steadily on trying to do as nearly right as possible. And perhaps some day God would give her a break!"

Wednesday, October 08, 2008

"Oh, but my dear! No one can take a daughter's place in a home when there is trouble, not such a daughter's place as you occupy, I'm sure. And as for the other thing, if you have it in you it will come out, you may be sure. You'll begin by decorating the home interior, and you won't lose anything in the end. Such things are never lost nor time wasted. God sees to that, if you are doing your best right where He put you. I can just see what an exquisite spot you'll make of that home, and how it will rest your mother to know you are taking her place."

Yeah!!! Emily got Terrific Kid at school today. Stephen got it yesterday. A good week for our kids huh? Bobby was home sick yesterday, so I didn't get to see Stephen get his award, but I was able to see Emily's today. Mrs. Wells talked about what a good girl she was - never having to be called down, always working hard and trying her best!! Where some of children seem to just get school with out much effort, Emily works very hard. I'm very proud of all the children. They are all doing so well in school.

We are a family of nine - daddy, mama, and seven little one (who aren't all little anymore!! - 3 are taller than me!!), one cat - Princess (the cat formally known as Prince) and the newest member of the family - Toby, Brenda's PomChi. We live in a small town in South Carolina.

This blog is for my family ~ that they might know my heart for them during my life and after I'm gone. After my mama's death when I was young, I so wished I had some writings about her life. This is my attempt to leave some for my family, especially my girls...

I am from Count Chocula, Spaghettios and Little Debbies, shopping at malls and eating Chick-Fil-A and Long John Silvers (anywhere in a day's driving distance), grabbing a quick chili cheese a plenty from the Beacon (where my mama and daddy use to date) and listening to Elvis.

I am from bike riding, Girl Scouts, dancing and gymnastics. Reading more and more books, the older I get, the more I love them.

I am from a two story white house trimmed in brown, with a room of my own and a play room beside (one of the benefits of being an only child) with a piano in the living room waiting on me to practice!!

I am from a old fashioned Baptist Church - filled with my family and friends and stained glass windows on the sides.

I am from a little southern town, full of yes mam's and ya'lls. Summers spent toasting my body in the warm Myrtle Beach sun, watching the leaves change in the fall and even every now and then enjoying a little snow (even here in South Carolina!!)

I am from THE USC - a converted gamecock through and through.

I am from the USA, my daddy and grandfathers all serving in different branches of service, with my son blazing straight ahead to follow in their footsteps (against all his mama's better judgement!!).

I am from my nanny and papa's house, the one you had to get to by driving up the road covered in trees. I loved to look at the sunshine peeking through every time I road up the hill, sleeping in my papa's night night shirts and helping my nanny cook chicken pot pies for his lunch (we knew there were green peas hiding there - shhhh!! papa doesn't know) and then later playing nurse to my nanny as she was sick and dying.

I am from my Mimi and Grandy, who moved back home to help take care of me when my mama died.

I am from the Oxendines - the most loving people I have ever known, always good for a laugh and a hug, always make you feel better about yourself than you know you really are.

I am from the Clarys - strong, sturdy, God fearing, always there.

I am from my Carolyn, who always stood by my papa's side - even though she wasn't always appreciated for all she did by everyone - she has all my love and respect.

I am from Daria, who taught me what it looked like to love Jesus on the outside of your life.

I am from my daddy, a hard worker with a big heart.

I am from Artie - we grew up together. Picnics at Miliken, days at Carowinds, nights eating tacos and watching movies, hours upon hours planning our lives together (seems like there was talk of having a baby or two?), :-) lots of smooching in a little white Celica. :-) I am who I am because of him.

But most of all, I am from my mama. My heart and soul. My desire. My example.

Looking back over my life as I write, the coolest thing is seeing everyone who made me who I am - all love Jesus. I have been so blessed with such a godly heritage. God is good!!